A much slimmer Evans enlisted in July and traveled to Fort Sam Houston to start combat medic training. He is once again a father figure, but this time for the younger Soldiers, who call him “pops.”
“I watch over them and try to keep them motivated,” Evans said. “I’m up early and running and yelling and keeping the Soldiers going at PT.”
“Pvt. Evans motivates me every time I see him in front of the company,” said 1st Sgt. Armand Fermin, C Company, 232nd Medical Battalion first sergeant. “His performance and attitude are phenomenal. He energizes me and the cadre and provides the younger Soldier medics a positive role model.”
Evans said his fellow trainees always ask him where he gets his energy. “I tell them I do it because I couldn’t at one time,” he said. “If I could fly, I’d fly.”
Right now he is flying through training, and his leadership is helping him to obtain a few other goals – become an active duty officer and a nurse.
“I feel like a different person,” Evans said. “I’m the same on the inside, but now my energy level matches my inner drive. I have the energy to do what I want to do.”
Regarding his surgery- and prescription-free weight loss, “If you get it in your head that you can and will beat this, you will,” he said. “Say today, not tomorrow. I won’t cut off, but cut back. Try not eating sweets for a week, anything that will motivate you.”
Evans still avoids Snicker bars and most sweets, but doesn’t give them a second thought. His primary focus is on his military future.
“I’m aiming for 20 years in the Army,” he said. “It took me a long time to achieve this goal and I’m going to keep going until I can’t.”
